Live Video: David Bazan performs Pedro the Lion

David Bazan has a knack for writing dark pop songs. Control, an album he released ten years ago with his former band, Pedro the Lion, is filled with lies, adultery, murder, and some melodies that you’ll want to hear over and over again, even while the lyrics give you chills. Bazan and his band performed the album in its entirety at a series of tour dates last year, and they stopped at KEXP to chat with DJ Shannon before playing their “homecoming show” at the Neptune. (Bazan’s kids came along, too, and watched their dad play from the control booth.) This native Seattle-ite is one of the most humble and personable musicians this city has seen: he takes questions from fans during his performances, and at the end of his set at the Neptune, he sent the incredulous crowd home without an encore. Watch him treat our listeners to three tracks from Control, plus “Cold Beer and Cigarettes,” a track from his debut solo EP, Fewer Moving Parts. Watch the videos from his in-studio session here: